The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-19
THE GANGS GRAND JURY
1t Refuses to Return Indictments
Against the Tally-Sheet FOrgers,
But It Returns Bill Against Republican
Attorney for an Alleged 0ffense About
Which Nothing Has Ever Been Heard.

It developed yesterday that anon the in
dictments returned by the county grand jury
in its final report Thursday evening" were soma
growing out of alleged violations of the election
laws during the recent city election. It was
ported yesterday morning that quite number
of such indictments had been returned. fifteen
or more, but the report was not based on fact.
The court officials refuse to furnish any infor-
nation concerning the number, but so far
can be learned not more than three, and perhaps
but one Indictment was returned for violation Of
election laws. The only arrest made yesterday
was that Of Roger A. Sprague. of the firm
OF Bartholomew g. Sprague, attorneys.
The indictment against him char
ges perjury. The specific allegation
is that, as a resident of the first precinct of
the Twsnty-first ward, he swore in two voters.
and in so doing made oath that he was the own
er of real estate in the precinct and ward. whom,
in reality. he was not The indictment is in one
count only. Mr.. Sprague was arrested last
evening at 6 o'clock at his home, corner of Hi
nois and Fifth streets. He was at his Office all
day, but the officers waited until he had gone to
his home before calling upon him. although the
capias was in their hands all the afternoon. At
the jail Mr. Sprague gave bond in the sum OF
SlOOO for his appearance in court, q. 5. Honey,
street commissioner, becoming his surety.
In regard to the Indictment, Mr.. Sprague said
20 a Journal reporter last night: st was sim
ply returned for political effect and out of per-
sonal spite that certain Democrats have for me-
As matter of fact am freebooter in both
the first and second precincts of the Twenty
first ward, and also have real estate in Center
township. The indictment does not specify
that the votes swore in were illegal, and they
were not. 1t was late in the evening when the
two men were challenged, and there was consid-
snoua .ha
their right to vote, and made the affidavit in the
best faith. and strictly according to Law. The
indictment is the result of luminosity Major
Mitchell holds against me- Several years ago
We were both attorneys In the Freeman will
case. and as he refused to do any work he was
dismissed from the case, and Mr.. Bartholomew
and myself tried it. He has never spoken to me
since that occurrence and feel satisfied that
he prompted the returning of the indictment"
Mr. SpraPue has employed Major Calkins and
Mayor Denny to look after his case, and mo-
ton to quash the indictment will probably be
made soon.
There is rpmor that three other persons
were indicted for ofenses similar to that charged
against Mr.. Sprague, but if such is the case no
warrants for the arrest of the persons were is
sued yesterday. The grand jury continued four
frauds.
The action Of the jury in turning its attention
to alleged election frauds was generally COM
mented upon about the city yesterday, from the
fact that the jury is the one that refused to con-
elder the tally sheet forgery. after receiving
positive instructions from Judge Irwin to inves-
repute among the police and City Court author-
ties, because it has released some of the most
dangerous criminals ever in the city.
Judge Irwin has had his attention called to
the fact that Mr.. Spencer one of the members
of the jury, is not legally entitled to a place in
the body. for the reason that his name was not
in the list selected by the jury commissioners
from which TO draw the jury. If it is ascer
tanned that he is not legally a member of the
jury, the work it has done may be invalidated.
Judge Irwin says that he cannot pass upon the
question unless it is brought to him in the way
of a regular plea, and this will probably be done.
Two political workers were talking about the
grand jury action yesterday ana specializing
the names of the persons who are said TO have
been indicted, when one remarked, Had the
Democrats who concocted the scheme of fraud
held their nerve, the grand jury could have
found case in the Second precinct of the Six
teeDth ward It was the determination to elect
Parkinson over Saulcy at every hazard, and
fearing that the latter had the best of the race,
the Democrats in the precinct named undertook
to shuttle the tickets Taking the tickets out of
and strung by fves, while the scratched tickets
and pastors were thrown into hat. When the
straight count had been completed, the contents
of the hat were emptIed into the box, and the |
first taken out was a roll of straight Democratic
tickets big my fist They were counted,
for McHugh, the inspector. said, We had better
throw those tickets OUT and to this Jim Dow
ling, of the judges assented, with the re-
mark, Counting them might lead to trouble.'
Bowling had charge of the scratched tickets.
He threw them into the hat and emptied them
again into the box. He then took the tickets
out of the box"